1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an occupant protection device which protects a head of an occupant seated in a seat of a vehicle such as a driver's seat and a front passenger seat with an inflatable airbag in the event of a collision or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
DE198 59 988 A1, by way of example, discloses a known occupant protection device which includes an airbag inflatable with an inflation gas for catching a head of an occupant seated in a vehicle seat in the event of a collision. The airbag of this protection device is so configured, for covering the head of the occupant, to form a cup opening obliquely forward and downward, with more than one pipe-shaped inflatable portions arranged in a grid-like fashion.
However, since the airbag of the conventional protection device is deployable into a cup-shape opening obliquely forward and downwardly, the airbag can cover only an upper half region of the head on the front side of the occupant while it covers up to the back on the back side of the occupant. Therefore, it has a room for improvement in an appropriate protection of the whole head of the occupant which is likely to move forward away from the backrest of the seat.